My Favorite Bird Photos

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Monthly Archives: December 2012

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The promised rain/snow hadn’t materialized by 9:00, so I decided to take a chance and see what was going on at Possum Point/Greenbury Point.
It was really too cloudy for decent photos, but I had nothing else to do, and there’s always a chance of getting lucky.
There were many active Cedar Waxwings, and plenty of ducks. I did see a nice hawk, but had no opportunity to get a photo.

It’s not hard to find flocks of Canada Geese in the morning at this time of year.

This Flicker was hard to see in the low light.

This Great Blue Heron is using a vacant Osprey nest for a perch.

Flocks of Cedar Waxwings were active throughout the area.

The 2-3 foot waves seemed to make no difference to this pair of Lesser Scaup

Ruddy Ducks and Buffleheads seem to be the most common ducks in the area.

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It would be hard to get better December birding weather than today. When I left the house around 8:30 AM, it was in the low 40s, and gradually warmed a few degrees. One disadvantage of really cold weather is the need to wear gloves, which makes the camera a little harder to use. Today, I had the gloves off by 10:00.
I started at Thomas Point State Park, where I found a Long Tailed Duck, then drove a short distance to Quiet Waters, where there was more variety, including the title duck, and a very cooperative Sharp Shinned Hawk. I made a stop at Truxtun Park on the way home, where I found a few Mallards. A good day to be a birder.

I’m not great at Identifying birds, but my Sibleys leads me to believe this is a female Greater Scaup.

Buffleheads often fly away when I’m observing, so I was ready for this pair.

This is only the second Long Tailed Duck I’ve seen, and I think they were solitary each time.

This drake is probably a Lesser Scaup.

I was lucky to be observing this Great Blue Heron just as he caught breakfast.

I’ve missed birds lkike this Sharp-Shinned Hawk in the past, but I’ve learned to look up more often.

This drake Hooded Merganser was on the far side of a cove when I spotted him. I walked a good half mile through the woods to get closer, whereupon he flew off.

I don’t often see Bluebirds at Quiet Waters.

Here’s a look at a Downy Woodpecker earning his meal.

This Downy Woodpecker ignored my presence, as they often do.

Mallards are so common I sometimes forget how colorful they are.

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It was a dark and windy morning, but the Sun was peeking through, so I headed out to Patuxent to look for some reported Crossbills. I didn’t find any, but I did run into some Wild Turkeys on the way in. The picture isn’t very good, but it’s my first Wild Turkey, so I’ll take it. After a mostly fruitless search at Patuxent North, I headed to Patuxent South, where it was also slow, but I had better luck.

There was a flock of 8-10 Wild Turkeys crossing the road, and they began running off as my truck approached. I managed to get out and snap a few images before they disappeared into the brush.

This Red Headed Woodpecker appeared just as I arrived at the parking lot. That’s the same circumstance as last time I was here, so maybe he’s just glad to see me.

Blue Jays were numerous and active.

White Throated Sparrows were plentiful as well.

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I was hoping Santa would bring me some nice birds for Christmas, along with the sunny, cold weather. I went to Jonas Green Park, Greenbury Point and Truxtun Park and found a flock of noisy nuthatches and later headed to Sandy Point, which was oddly barren. Santa wasn’t much help, but I did get a few decent images.

Red Winged Blackbirds are year-round residents.This is a female.

I began looking (And listening) for birds at one end of the footbridge and realized I was hearing a lot of White Breasted Nuthatches. It’s hard to count them, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were 10 or so, all chattering away and flying from tree to tree in search of food. I’ve never seen them gather like that before.

I’ve found several cooperative Song Sparrows at Jonas Green Park.

Small flocks of Dark Eyed Juncos are in most places I go.

This Blue Jay got my attention with a strange, single note call I’ve never heard before.

I followed this Downy Woodpecker around for a while, trying to get a better shot.

This Great Blue Heron can often be found near the boat ramp at Possum Point.

This Ring Billed Gull seems quite well acclimated to humans.

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It was a cool, partly sunny morning, with rain promised for later, so I planned a short day. I went to Possum Point first. where Cedar Waxwings were plentiful and active, then to Greenbury Point where they were feeding as well. Ducks were in short supply, but I did find a few out near the point.

This would be a better image with a more interesting foreground, but the colors are spectacular.

I’m not great with bird songs, but the sound of a Belted Kingfisher is unmistakable, and helped me find this guy.

I didn’t realize there was a Bluebird mixed in with these Cedar Waxwings until I uploaded the image to my computer. Can you find it?

These gray, cloudy days are a lighting challenge, but a black and white bird like this Bufflehead helps.

Scaup can be hard to identify, but I’m going to call this a female Greater Scaup.

MD capitol dome from Greenbury Point.

It’s not hard to find a Mockingbird at Greenbury Point.

White Throated Sparrows are in most areas of the point.

Bluebirds are not as plentiful as in previous months.

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I couldn’t have asked for better December weather. Temps in the mid-40s and sunny skies made for a promising day. I managed to get to Thomas Point and Hillsmere Elementary before stopping for groceries, then I headed out to Sandy Point. In truth, I had expected more variety, but that’s the way it goes some times.

Bufflehead are fast fliers, and I’ll set a higher shutter speed the next time.

This pair of Buffleheads were taking a break.

There were rafts of Lesser Scaup at both locations.

You can’t go far in this area without seeing Canada Geese.

This Great Blue Heron was fishing in a quiet cove at Thomas Point.

I saw these Tundra Swans as I was leaving Thomas Point.

This Gull was looking for a place to land.

This Dark Eyed Junco was foraging with a small flock of Juncos and Sparrows.

This may be the same deer I saw here a few weeks ago.

This may be a female Greater Scaup.

Luckily, this adult female Ruddy Duck was swimming quite close to shore.

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When I looked out this morning, it was gray, dreary and cold and I planned to stay home and get some chores done. There was a respite around 10:00, so I took a chance and went to Thomas Point, then Quiet Waters. It worked out well.

There was a mixed flock of Bufflehead and Lesser Scaup in the cold, choppy water.

These Common Goldeneye took off as I approached Thomas Point, so I didn’t really know what I had until I uploaded the images. I have’t seen one of these since the Summer, so it was a nice surprise.

Not a bad shot of this female Bufflehead given the poor light.

This female Ruddy Duck has her tails raised, an identifying trait.

This Bufflehead drake was hanging out with his harem.

I spent several days this Summer and Spring looking for Pileated Woodpeckers with very little luck. In Winter, with the leaves gone, it gets much easier to find them.

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Weatherwise, it was a promising, if cold morning, so I headed for Thomas Point State Park to see if any new water birds were about. That was a bust, as all the birds were quite far out. I decided on a quick stop at Quiet Waters Park, which was more fruitful, quickly yielding a Pileated Woodpecker or two, but nothing else.
After dithering a bit, I went to Patuxent NWR, where I haven’t been for a while, and got lucky.

This female Pileated Woodpecker was one of a pair noisily whacking at adjacent trees. Note how the stiff tail provides a convenient prop.

I had heard there was a Red Headed Woodpecker at Patuxent, but I didn’t expect one would land right in front of me the instant I arrived.

This Dark Eyed Junco is for my sister.

I like the colors surrounding this female Cardinal.

I noticed my reflection in the main door at the visitor center. This what a bird sees when I’m taking a picture.

These Ring Necked Ducks were quite distant, so I’m pleased with the photo.

There were actually very few birds about, so I was glad to to see this Tufted Titmouse.

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The day promised perfect Winter weather, with a morning temperature in the high 30s, quickly warming to the 50s. The sky was a litrtle cloudy. but there was enough Sun for decent lightingh, so I headed back to Thomas Point State Park looking for ducks and other waterfowl. After some moderate success I drove to Quiet Waters in search of same, but the pickings were slim to nil. Sandy Point was my next destination, and I had much more success.
I headed for one of the lesser known trails in search of a Wild Turkey I had been told about, but found a Bald Eagle and a few more water birds instead.

Here’s a look at the raft of Scaup and Buffleheads off the point.

This Bufflehead was part of a medium sized raft of Buffleheads and Scaup.

This Black Backed Seagull did a fly by.

There were only a few Long Tailed Ducks in the flock.

These appear to be male Lesser Scaup in breeding plumage.

A Great Blue Heron was resting in one of the coves at Quiet Waters.

When I first saw this Bald Eagle, he was heading out over the bay to do some fishing.

He (or She) returned before long with what appears to be a rather large fish.

These Canada Geese flew right in front of me.

I don’t often get this close to a wild bird, even a Mockingbird.

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There was a bit of rain last night, but the morning looked promising, so, after a trip for groceries, I set out for Thomas Point State Park. I encountered some employees repairing ruts in the road, who informed me the park was closed, but they were kind enough to let me proceed for a quick look at the ducks off the point. My thanks to them.
I did see a few ducks, then I set off to Terrapin Nature Center, which was actually kind of dull, but I got a few usable images.

This pair of Buffleheads was paddling about right off the point, in the company of some Scaups.